De Kuip, the door to the second round for Atlético
Simeone’s men are looking for a victory against Feyenoord to ensure their presence in the ‘Champions’ qualifiers
MADRID, 27 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Atlético de Madrid seeks to tie this Tuesday against Feyenoord in De Kuip (9:00 p.m./Movistar Champions League 2) their place in the round of 16 of the Champions League, and even first place in Group E, in a match in which the French forward Antoine Griezmann will continue to hunt for Luis Aragonés against a rival who is risking his continuity in the top continental competition.
The fourth-round rout against Celtic at the Cívitas Metropolitano (6-0), with doubles from the ‘Little Prince’ and Álvaro Morata and the same from Samu Lino, allowed Diego Pablo Simeone’s men to maintain the lead with eight points, one more than Lazio (7) and two more than the Dutch (6), whom they already beat at home (3-2). The group is closed by the Scottish team (1), already ruled out.
The quickest route to the round of 16 would be a victory this Tuesday, regardless of what the Italians do, whom they face on the last date of the group stage. If they win and the Roman team also falls at home against Celtic, they would mathematically confirm first place.
Thus, the Colchonero team depends on itself to reach the playoffs, and four points would be enough to achieve it. A defeat would seriously complicate their future and would force them to beat Lazio in the final match, so the duel in Rotterdam is presumed vital.
However, away from the Metropolitano, where they have had 18 consecutive victories, more than any other team on their own field in Europe, the red and whites’ performance is diluted; In continental competition, they tied this season both in Rome (1-1) and in Glasgow (2-2), and in their last LaLiga game EA Sports away they lost against UD Las Palmas (2-1). The total, only three wins in their last eleven visits among all competitions.
However, after the setback against the Canaries they recovered with the scoring festival against the Scots, and in the domestic championship, where they are already third, four points behind the leader Real Madrid, they healed wounds with the triumphs in the warmth of their fans against the Villarreal (3-1) and RCD Mallorca (1-0), a duel decided with a header from Griezmann.
With 13 goals so far this year – nine of them in LaLiga – the French attacker consolidates his spectacular moment of form, which allows him to come close to becoming the top scorer in the history of Atlético de Madrid. Only three goals separate him from Luis Aragonés, and this Tuesday he will try to get even closer by forming a duo with Álvaro Morata.
In addition, men such as Argentines Nahuel Molina and Rodrigo de Paul, Uruguayan center back José María Giménez and left back Roro Riquelme will return to the team. French midfielder Thomas Lemar is the only casualty for ‘Cholo’.
Opposite, Feyenoord needs a victory in De Kuip, their stronghold in recent weeks, to keep them in the fight for the round of 16. Arne Slot’s men will be mathematically eliminated if they lose to Atlético and Lazio win in Rome.
Despite everything, the Dutch are clinging to their strength at home, where they have won their last seven games, including the ‘Champions’ clashes against Celtic (2-0) and against the transalpine team (3-1), and the return of their scorer, Santiago Giménez.
The Mexican striker, who lost in the tight defeat at Cívitas Metropolitano (3-2) and who has accumulated 18 goals in 16 games this season, will arrive in shape for this Tuesday’s duel after scoring a hat trick against Excelsior (2-3) which helped his team settle into second position in the Eredivisie.
DATASHEET.
–POSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
FEYENOORD: Biljow; Geertruida, Trauner, Hancko, Hartman; Wieffer, Timber, Zerrouki, Stengs; Paixao y Giménez.
ATLÉTICO DE MADRID: Oblak; Molina, Witsel, Giménez, Hermoso, Riquelme; De Paul, Koke, Llorente; Griezmann and Morata.
–REFEREE: Anthony Taylor (ENG).
–STADIUM: De Kuip.
–TIME: 9:00 p.m./Movistar Champions League 2.